High Interest: Sept. 5

Published: Thursday, September 5, 2013 at 7:35 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, September 5, 2013 at 7:35 a.m.

The next meeting of the Asheville Jewish Business Forum will be Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Yao’s Buffet & Grill, 153 Smoky Park Highway, Asheville. Esther Manheimer, vice mayor of Asheville, will discuss “The City of Asheville—Current Issues and Opportunities.”

The monthly meetings provide many networking opportunities for business owners in the Jewish Community. It also is a great resource for newcomers to Asheville and Western North Carolina to mingle with these business owners.

Cost for the meal is $12 for members and $15 for guests. For additional information and to RSVP, call Brad Morris at 828-279-1099.

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The Fresh Market Inc. announced unaudited sales and earnings results for its thirteen-week second quarter that ended July 28, 2013. In the second quarter of fiscal 2013, net sales increased 13.3 percent to $354.8 million and comparable store sales increased 3.4 percent, compared to the fiscal quarter ended July 29, 2012. Net income in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 was $15.6 million, compared to $13.3 million in the corresponding period in fiscal 2012. Diluted earnings per share in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 were $0.32, an increase of 17.0 percent over diluted earnings per share of $0.28 for the corresponding prior year period.

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TD Bank recently found via its inaugural TD Bank Checking Experience Index that 80 percent of consumers say their bank is excellent or very good when it comes to accessibility and responsiveness (83 percent and 80 percent respectively), but only 10 percent expect to pay for their checking account according to The TD Bank Checking Experience Index, a nationwide survey of more than 3,000 consumers with checking accounts at various banks.

Furthermore, although 83 percent of checking account holders rank their dayto- day experience as excellent or very good, 36 percent say they are extremely or very likely to switch banks to avoid fees and 14 percent have changed financial institutions because of the cost of their account.

Non-bank ATM fees were ranked most frustrating by 38 percent of respondents, followed by overdraft fees at 27 percent. Only 13 percent of consumers ranked minimum balance costs as the most frustrating for their account even though the TD Checking Experience Index indicated that the average balance to avoid a monthly cost is $950.

However, the banking industry scored well in the areas of convenience and accessibility with 74 percent of consumers ranking bank hours as excellent or very good and more than two-thirds of consumers giving high marks to convenient locations and ATMs (70 percent and 69 percent respectively).

Nationally, checking account holders are making 15 banking transactions each month with six of those transactions being made online. Nearly 80 percent of checking account holders use online banking with their financial institution and 50 percent of consumers prefer online banking, using it primarily for money transfers and bill payments. ATM banking is the second most popular channel, seeing 3.2 transactions a month, followed by in store and mobile (2.3 and 1.5 transactions respectively).

Consumer ratings show 88 percent of consumers ranking their online banking experience as excellent or very good.

<p>The next meeting of the Asheville Jewish Business Forum will be Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Yao's Buffet & Grill, 153 Smoky Park Highway, Asheville. Esther Manheimer, vice mayor of Asheville, will discuss “The City of Asheville—Current Issues and Opportunities.”</p><p>The monthly meetings provide many networking opportunities for business owners in the Jewish Community. It also is a great resource for newcomers to Asheville and Western North Carolina to mingle with these business owners.</p><p>Cost for the meal is $12 for members and $15 for guests. For additional information and to RSVP, call Brad Morris at 828-279-1099.</p><p>◆</p><p>The Fresh Market Inc. announced unaudited sales and earnings results for its thirteen-week second quarter that ended July 28, 2013. In the second quarter of fiscal 2013, net sales increased 13.3 percent to $354.8 million and comparable store sales increased 3.4 percent, compared to the fiscal quarter ended July 29, 2012. Net income in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 was $15.6 million, compared to $13.3 million in the corresponding period in fiscal 2012. Diluted earnings per share in the second quarter of fiscal 2013 were $0.32, an increase of 17.0 percent over diluted earnings per share of $0.28 for the corresponding prior year period.</p><p>◆</p><p>TD Bank recently found via its inaugural TD Bank Checking Experience Index that 80 percent of consumers say their bank is excellent or very good when it comes to accessibility and responsiveness (83 percent and 80 percent respectively), but only 10 percent expect to pay for their checking account according to The TD Bank Checking Experience Index, a nationwide survey of more than 3,000 consumers with checking accounts at various banks.</p><p>Furthermore, although 83 percent of checking account holders rank their dayto- day experience as excellent or very good, 36 percent say they are extremely or very likely to switch banks to avoid fees and 14 percent have changed financial institutions because of the cost of their account.</p><p>Non-bank ATM fees were ranked most frustrating by 38 percent of respondents, followed by overdraft fees at 27 percent. Only 13 percent of consumers ranked minimum balance costs as the most frustrating for their account even though the TD Checking Experience Index indicated that the average balance to avoid a monthly cost is $950.</p><p>However, the banking industry scored well in the areas of convenience and accessibility with 74 percent of consumers ranking bank hours as excellent or very good and more than two-thirds of consumers giving high marks to convenient locations and ATMs (70 percent and 69 percent respectively).</p><p>Nationally, checking account holders are making 15 banking transactions each month with six of those transactions being made online. Nearly 80 percent of checking account holders use online banking with their financial institution and 50 percent of consumers prefer online banking, using it primarily for money transfers and bill payments. ATM banking is the second most popular channel, seeing 3.2 transactions a month, followed by in store and mobile (2.3 and 1.5 transactions respectively).</p><p>Consumer ratings show 88 percent of consumers ranking their online banking experience as excellent or very good.</p><p>Compiled from staff reports</p>